Method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry

ABSTRACT

A method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry which includes the steps of applying a lubricating oil to a fingertip and providing an amount of precious metal clay sufficient to generally cover at least a portion of a fingertip. The amount of precious metal clay is then formed into a fingerprint-receiving shape such as a generally flat disk or plate and a fingertip is then pressed into the precious metal clay such that a fingerprint of the fingertip is formed and retained on and within the amount of precious metal clay. The amount of precious metal clay is then air-dried to initially set and retain the fingerprint and then is fired within a kiln to ablate substantially all of the organic binding material within the precious metal clay thereby leaving only the precious metal having the fingerprint formed thereon which is thus available for use as a piece of jewelry.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PROVISIONAL PATENT

This application claims priority based on a provisional patent, specifically on the Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/544,058 filed Feb. 12, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to jewelry and, more particularly, to a method of making fingerprint imprinted precious metal jewelry which includes the steps of applying a small amount of lubricant to the finger providing the fingerprint impression, providing a small amount of precious metal clay (PMC), forming a generally spherical ball with the PMC, rolling or pressing the ball out to form a generally flat plate of PMC, pressing the lubricated finger into the clay, permitting the PMC to air dry, then firing the PMC in a kiln to ablate the binding materials in the PMC, thus leaving only the precious metal having the fingerprint formed therein to form the fingerprint imprinted precious metal jewelry.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are virtually an unlimited number of different types of jewelry which are manufactured or produced in the world today. These include variations ranging from the least expensive cubic zirconia piece on up to the intricate and amazing jewelry creations of such respected craftsman as Borsheim's and Tiffany. However, regardless of the type and cost of the piece of jewelry, one thing that the majority of purchasers have in common in their desires for their jewelry is that the jewelry should be as unique, striking, and attractive as possible, which will thus attract the interest of viewers of the jewelry and enhance the appearance of the wearer of the jewelry. Obviously, the chance for a piece of jewelry to be unique increases with the cost of the piece and the number and types of precious stones and metals used in connection with the piece of jewelry, but it is also clear that very few people can afford this type of personalization of their jewelry. Furthermore, the mere addition or substitution of various types of gems and/or metals in a piece of jewelry will not always result in the type of personalization which the owner of the piece of jewelry wants. For example, for jewelry given or received in connection with a particular event or from a particular person, there is naturally the desire to have the piece of jewelry reflect in some way the person or event with which the jewelry is related. Although this can be done by engraving, it is far preferable to have the piece of jewelry include as a designed feature a personalization which will have significance to the owner of the piece of jewelry. There is therefore a need for an easy-to-use method by which the personalization of a piece of jewelry may be performed and thus the uniqueness of the piece of jewelry may be enhanced.

There are some types of jewelry currently being produced which include the fingerprint of the individual or a loved one on a plate or disk of precious metal, and the popularity of these types of jewelry is increasing. However, the methods of production for these pieces of jewelry are laborious and often don't produce the quality of result necessary to ensure that the resulting piece of jewelry is usable by the purchaser. The common way to transfer the fingerprint is to use the lost wax method of transfer, where the purchaser would imprint a wax block with the fingerprint to be transferred, and the jewelry manufacturer would then use that wax block to create the jewelry piece by adding the molten metal to the wax block to get the imprint on the metal. It should be clear that this method includes many different opportunities for the process to break down and produce an inferior product, including obtaining an off-center imprint in the wax, obtaining a poor or blurred imprint in the wax due to the inexperience of the purchaser in imprinting the wax or adding the molten metal too quickly to destroy the imprint in the wax prior to transfer. There is therefore a need for an improved method by which fingerprints may be transferred to or imprinted on jewelry.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry which is easy to use and will produce quality results even with little training in use of the method.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry which produces a finished product which is attractive and decorative and can be used as a jewelry item by a purchaser of the end product.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry which may be used by many different individuals of vastly different experience levels yet will consistently produce excellent results.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry which uses precious metal clay to quickly and easily obtain the fingerprint imprint and transfer the imprint to the finished jewelry product.

Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry thereof which is relatively simple, safe and efficient in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry which includes the steps of applying an amount of a lubricating liquid to a fingertip and also providing an amount of precious metal clay. The amount of precious metal clay includes a quantity of a precious metal and a quantity of a binding material in a generally homogenous mixture, the amount of precious metal clay sufficient to generally cover at least a portion of a fingertip. The amount of precious metal clay is then formed into a fingerprint-receiving shape such as a generally flat disk or plate and a fingertip is then pressed into the fingerprint-receiving shape of the amount of precious metal clay such that a fingerprint of the fingertip corresponding to the fingerprint on the fingertip is formed and retained on and within the amount of precious metal clay. The amount of precious metal clay is then air-dried for a time period sufficient to initially set and retain the fingerprint in the amount of precious metal clay, and then the amount of precious metal clay with the fingerprint thereon is fired within a kiln for a length of time and at a temperature sufficient to ablate substantially all of the organic binding material within the amount of precious metal clay thereby leaving only the precious metal having the fingerprint formed thereon. The precious metal having the fingerprint formed thereon is then removed from the kiln and is thus available for use as a piece of jewelry.

The present invention thus provides a method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry which is not found in the prior art. For example, all uses of PMC which are currently found in the art use a “lost-wax” or other such process to transfer identifying indicia to the PMC, and the inventor is unaware of any other process used which transfers fingerprints or the like. Furthermore, because the present method can be used by many different individuals up until the firing step, it is possible to send the PMC to the purchaser to get their fingerprint(s) instead of requiring them to come to the jewelry manufacturer. With the present invention, however, once the fingerprint is inserted into the PMC by the purchaser, the imprinted PMC can be returned to the manufacturer for firing thereof, thus streamlining the process and permitting expanded use of the method of the present invention. Finally, because the method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry of the present invention does not result in nearly the same amount of waste of PMC when compared to those methods found in the prior art of using PMC, the present method is far more cost-efficient and thus is superior to those methods. It is therefore seen that the present invention provides a substantial improvement over the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fingerprinted-imprinted jewelry piece formed using the method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the first step of manufacture of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates the rolling-out step of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates the indentation formation step of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates the air-drying step of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates the kiln-fired completed jewelry piece having the fingerprint indentation formed therein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The method of forming the fingerprint display jewelry 10 of the present invention is shown best in FIGS. 1-6 as including the following steps. The user of the present method would first apply a slight amount of a lubricating oil such as olive oil 12 to his or her fingertips 14, as shown best in FIG. 2. Olive oil 12 is suggested for use with the method of the present invention due to its widespread availability, but is should be noted that many different types of lubricating liquids may be used with the present invention so long as they do not interact poorly with the precious metal clay or obscure the fingerprints 16 on the fingertips 14 of the individual using the present invention.

The user of the method of the present invention would then take a small amount of precious metal clay (PMC) and form a generally spherical ball 20, as shown in FIG. 2. Precious metal clay or PMC is a commercially available clay-based material which includes an amount of precious metal, usually either fine silver or fine gold which is unalloyed. When the PMC is placed within a kiln, the organic binding material, i.e. the clay, burns away and, when fired at the appropriate temperature for the correct length of time, an object fashioned from PMC will emerge from the kiln as solid metal. Generally, the temperature of the kiln should be below 1650° F. for silver and gold PMC, and the length of the firing will vary with the size of the piece being fired. The use of PMC is becoming more widespread and is now currently being used to fashion some types of jewelry, but the use of PMC to record and imprint a fingerprint has heretofore been undisclosed and untaught in the prior art.

Once the generally spherical ball 20 of PMC is formed, the ball is then placed on a hard, clean, smooth surface, such as a tabletop or other such surface, and rolled out slightly with a smooth object such as a metal cylinder or pressed out with a finger or other blunt instrument to form a generally circular or rectangular plate such as that shown in FIG. 3. The oiled fingertip 14 having the fingerprint 16 to be imprinted is then pressed into the rolled-out PMC such that the fingerprint, shown best in FIG. 5, is formed and retained on and within the PMC.

The PMC with the fingerprint formed therein is then allowed to dry on the tabletop surface 30 for a period of approximately twelve to twenty-four hours at which time the PMC is removed and placed within a kiln for firing thereof. Once the PMC is placed within the kiln (not shown), it is fired for an appropriate length of time at the appropriate temperature to ablate the organic binding material within the PMC, thus leaving only the precious metal, as shown best in FIG. 6. The resulting precious metal includes the fingerprint originally placed therein and, as the fingerprint is now imprinted in solid precious metal, with reasonable care the fingerprint may be expected to last for many years and provide much enjoyment for the owner and wearer of the jewelry piece. The resulting fingerprint display jewelry 10 may include a mounting hole 32 through which a clasp 34 or other such connective piece of jewelry may be extended for connection of the fingerprint display jewelry 10 to a necklace chain 36 or the like, thus allowing the fingerprint display jewelry 10 to be worn by the owner thereof.

Of course, it should be noted that numerous additions, modifications, and substitutions may be made to the fingerprint display jewelry 10 and method of forming same of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope of the above description. For example, a plurality of fingerprint display jewelry pieces may be affixed to a single necklace or bracelet, thus displaying several different fingerprints. Such a piece of jewelry may be particularly desirable when the fingerprints of a number of children or loved ones are to be displayed at the same time, as would be done by a proud mother, father or grandparent of the children. Furthermore, although currently precious metal clay is available only in gold or silver, it is expected that advances in technology will result in additional types of precious metal clay being developed, and the use of such newly developed precious metal clay materials is understood to be a part of this disclosure. Finally, the precise steps in the above-described method may be slightly modified or changed depending on the appearance and fingerprint design desired to be imprinted into the precious metal clay, any of which would be understood by one versed in this disclosure.

There has therefore been shown and described a method for making fingerprint display jewelry which accomplishes at least all of its intended purposes. 

1. A method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry comprising the steps: applying an amount of a lubricating liquid to a fingertip; providing an amount of precious metal clay, said amount of precious metal clay including a quantity of a precious metal and a quantity of a binding material in a generally homogenous mixture, said amount of precious metal clay sufficient to generally cover at least a portion of a fingertip; forming said amount of precious metal clay into a fingerprint-receiving shape; pressing a fingertip into said fingerprint-receiving shape of said amount of precious metal clay such that a fingerprint of the fingertip corresponding to the fingerprint on the fingertip is formed and retained on and within said amount of precious metal clay; drying said amount of precious metal clay for a time period sufficient to initially set and retain said fingerprint in said amount of precious metal clay; firing said amount of precious metal clay with said fingerprint thereon within a kiln for a length of time and at a temperature sufficient to ablate substantially all of said organic binding material within said amount of precious metal clay thereby leaving only said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon; and removing said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon from said kiln and using said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon as a piece of jewelry.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of applying an amount of a lubricating liquid to a fingertip comprises applying a lubricating oil.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing an amount of precious metal clay including a quantity of a precious metal comprises providing a precious metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, brass, steel, platinum, palladium and rhodium.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing an amount of precious metal clay including a quantity of a binding material comprises providing an organic binding material.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of firing said amount of precious metal clay with said fingerprint thereon within a kiln comprises firing said amount of precious metal clay with said fingerprint thereon at a temperature between 600° F. and 1650° F. until substantially all of said binder material is ablated away.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of removing said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon from said kiln and using said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon as a piece of jewelry further comprises forming at least one mounting hole therethrough through which a connective piece of jewelry is extendable for connection of said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon to a necklace chain thereby facilitating the wear and display of said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon.
 7. A method of creating fingerprint-imprinted jewelry comprising the steps: applying an amount of a lubricating oil to a fingertip; providing an amount of precious metal clay, said amount of precious metal clay including a quantity of a precious metal and a quantity of a binding material in a generally homogenous mixture, said amount of precious metal clay sufficient to generally cover at least a portion of a fingertip; rolling said amount of precious metal clay into a generally spherical ball; placing said generally spherical ball of said amount of precious metal clay on a generally hard, clean, smooth surface; forming said amount of precious metal clay into a fingerprint-receiving generally circular disk on said generally hard, clean, smooth surface; pressing a fingertip having a coating of said amount of a lubricating oil into said fingerprint-receiving generally circular disk of said amount of precious metal clay such that a fingerprint of the fingertip corresponding to the fingerprint on the fingertip is formed and retained on and within said amount of precious metal clay; drying said amount of precious metal clay for a time period sufficient to initially set and retain said fingerprint in said amount of precious metal clay; firing said amount of precious metal clay with said fingerprint thereon within a kiln for a length of time and at a temperature sufficient to ablate substantially all of said organic binding material within said amount of precious metal clay thereby leaving only said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon; and removing said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon from said kiln and using said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon as a piece of jewelry.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of providing an amount of precious metal clay including a quantity of a precious metal comprises providing a precious metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, brass, steel, platinum, palladium and rhodium.
 9. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of providing an amount of precious metal clay including a quantity of a binding material comprises providing an organic binding material.
 10. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of firing said amount of precious metal clay with said fingerprint thereon within a kiln comprises firing said amount of precious metal clay with said fingerprint thereon at a temperature between 600° F. and 1650° F. until substantially all of said binder material is ablated away.
 11. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of removing said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon from said kiln and using said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon as a piece of jewelry further comprises forming at least one mounting hole therethrough through which a connective piece of jewelry is extendable for connection of said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon to a necklace chain thereby facilitating the wear and display of said precious metal having said fingerprint formed thereon. 